Equities in Canada’s largest market found their way up marginally, shortly after the open on Friday, as energy and financial stocks led the market lower.
The S&P/TSX Composite inched higher 7.92 points to open the final session of 2016 at 15,430.04
The Canadian dollar hiked 0.64 cents to 74.42 cents U.S.
The index closed 2015 at 13,009.95, and had climbed more than 2,400 points during the year, or 16.2%, as of Thursday’s close.
Canadian equity markets are to be closed Monday for New Year’s Day
In company news, a unit of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd received preliminary regulatory approval to buy a 51% stake in Catholic Syrian Bank, the chairman of the Indian lender said on Friday.
Fairfax shares gained $4.66 to $652.94.
Gold stocks darted from the start, as Barrick Gold climbed 41 cents, or 1.9%, to $22.53, while Goldcorp gained 45 cents, or 2.4%, to $19.19.
Among health-care issues, Valeant Pharmaceuticals added 15 cents to $19.31, while Canopy Growth eked up eight cents to $9.17.
Tech stocks took a bit of a whacking, as BlackBerry slid 17 cents, or 1.8%, to $9.22.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange added 4.1 points to 764.32
Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups were higher to begin Friday, as gold sprinted 1.8%, while health-care jumped 1.5%, and materials bettered 1.2%.
The five laggards were weighed most by information technology, down 0.4%, telecoms, off 0.3%, and financials, down 0.2%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stocks opened higher briefly before edging lower Friday morning in the final trading session of 2016, as the three major indexes looked to end a two-day skid. Stocks haven't had a three-day losing streak in two months.
The Dow Jones Industrials hesitated 23.89 points to 19,795.89.
As of Thursday's close, the Dow was down 0.6% this week and is on pace for its first negative week since before the election. It continued to be up 13.7% year to date.
The S&P 500 dropped 5.81 points to 2,243.45. The index was up 10.1% year to date.
The NASDAQ composite index tumbled 31.85 points to 5,400.23, but was still up 8.5% for the year.
For the final data report of 2016, the Chicago Purchasing Manager's Index for December came in at 54.6, lower than consensus forecasts of 56.8. This month's figure is also down from November's reading of 57.6. Looking back, 2016 began with a reading of 55.6 in January.
The bond market will close at 2 p.m. ET on Friday, while the stock market maintains normal hours. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note was slightly lower at 2.47% from Thursday’s 2.48%, with prices higher. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices dipped 10 cents to $53.67 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices gained $2.20 to $1,160.30 U.S. an ounce.
